U.S. patent number 6,478,376 [Application Number 09/764,061] was granted by the patent office on 2002-11-12 for vehicle seat construction.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo K.K., Namba Press Works Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Takehito Hayashi, Yasushi Kodani, Shingo Kutomi, Takeshi Matsuoka, Koji Mizuno.
United States Patent |
6,478,376 |
Hayashi , et al. |
November 12, 2002 |
Vehicle seat construction
Abstract
A vehicle seat construction includes a reinforcement member,
which is secured on a frame of a vehicle seat main body, and anchor
bars fixed on the reinforcement member such that connector portions
of a child seat can be brought into releasable engagement with the
anchor bars, respectively. The vehicle seat main body is provided
with a seat cushion and a seatback. The anchor bars are fixed on
upper portions of the reinforcement member, respectively, such that
guide portions for guiding the corresponding connector portions of
the child seat to the associated anchor bars are located below the
anchor bars.
Inventors: |
Hayashi; Takehito (Aichi,
JP), Mizuno; Koji (Nagoya, JP), Kutomi;
Shingo (Aichi, JP), Kodani; Yasushi (Okayama,
JP), Matsuoka; Takeshi (Kurashiki, JP) |
Assignee: |
Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo K.K.
(Tokyo, JP)
Namba Press Works Co., Ltd. (Okayama, JP)
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Family
ID: |
18538739 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/764,061 |
Filed: |
January 19, 2001 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jan 19, 2000 [JP] |
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2000-010759 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
297/250.1;
297/253 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N
2/2821 (20130101); B60N 2/2839 (20130101); B60N
2/286 (20130101); B60N 2/2893 (20130101); B60N
2/289 (20130101); B60R 22/30 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60N
2/26 (20060101); B60N 2/28 (20060101); B60R
22/30 (20060101); B60N 002/28 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/250.1,253 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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19834312 |
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Feb 2000 |
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DK |
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11198695 |
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Jul 1999 |
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JP |
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Primary Examiner: White; Rodney B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Birch, Stewart, Kolasch &
Birch, LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A vehicle seat construction comprising: a vehicle seat main body
having a seat cushion and a seatback; a reinforcement member
secured on a frame of said vehicle seat main body and adapted to be
secured to a floor on which said vehicle seat main body is to be
mounted; an anchor member fixed only to a top surface of said
reinforcement member so that a connector portion of a child seat
can be releasably engaged to the anchor member; and a guide portion
arranged in said reinforcement member such that said connector
portion of said child seat is guided to said anchor member.
2. The vehicle seat construction according to claim 1, wherein:
said anchor member is a straight anchor bar; and said guide portion
has a guide surface arranged underneath said anchor bar.
3. The vehicle seat construction according to claim 2, wherein:
said reinforcement member has a cross-section of a substantially
inverted U-shape; and said guide portion has been formed by bending
a portion of said reinforcement member.
4. The vehicle seat construction according to claim 1, wherein:
said anchor member is arranged in a vicinity of a rear end portion
of said seat cushion; and said seat cushion is provided at said
rear end portion thereof with a recess into which said connector
portion can be inserted.
5. A vehicle seat construction comprising: a vehicle seat main body
having a seat cushion and a seatback; a reinforcement member
secured on a frame of said vehicle seat main body and adapted to be
secured to a floor on which said vehicle seat main body is mounted;
an anchor member fixed on said reinforcement member for releasable
engagement with a connector portion of a child seat; a guide
portion arranged in said reinforcement member such that said
connector portion of said child seat is guided to said anchor
member; said seat cushion is provided with a ticking which covers
an opening of said recess; and said ticking has a slit portion to
permit insertion of said connector portion into said recess.
6. A vehicle seat construction according to claim 4, wherein: said
anchor member is a straight anchor bar; said guide portion has a
guide surface arranged underneath said anchor bar; and said recess
is formed with a bottom surface thereof extending in continuation
with said guide surface.
7. A vehicle seat construction comprising: a vehicle seat main body
having a seat cushion and a seatback; a reinforcement member
secured on a frame of said vehicle seat main body and adapted to be
secured to a floor on which said vehicle seat main body is mounted;
an anchor member fixed on said reinforcement member for releasable
engagement with a connector portion of a child seat; guide portion
arranged in said reinforcement member such that said connector
portion of said child seat is guided to said anchor member; and
further comprising a resin-made plate arranged on said bottom
surface of said recess such that said connector portion can be
brought into sliding contact with said connector portion.
8. A vehicle seat construction according to claim 7, wherein said
plate extends onto said guide surface.
9. The vehicle seat construction according to claim 1, wherein:
said child seat is provided with two connector portions; two anchor
members as defined in claim 1 are fixed at a predetermined interval
therebetween on said reinforcement member for releasable engagement
with the corresponding connector portions of said child seat; and
said anchor members are provided with two guide portions,
respectively, such that said connector portions of said child seat
are guided to the corresponding anchor members.
10. The vehicle seat construction according to claim 1, wherein:
said child seat is provided with two connector portions; two
reinforcement members as defined in claim 1 are secured at a
predetermined interval therebetween on one of said frame and a
floor on which the two reinforcement members are adapted to be
mounted; two anchor members as defined in claim 1 are fixed on said
reinforcement members, respectively, for releasable engagement with
the corresponding connector portions of said child seat; and said
anchor members are provided with guide portions, respectively, such
that said connector portions of said child seat are guided to the
corresponding anchor members.
11. The vehicle seat construction according to claim 1, wherein
only end portions of the anchor member are fixed to the top
surface.
12. The vehicle seat construction according to claim 11, wherein:
said anchor member is a straight anchor bar; and said guide portion
has a guide surface located underneath said anchor bar.
13. A vehicle seat construction comprising: a vehicle seat main
body having a seat cushion and a seatback; a reinforcement member,
which has a cross-section of a substantially inverted U-shaped,
secured on a frame of said vehicle seat main body; a guide portion
formed by bending a portion of said reinforcement member, such that
a connector portion of a child seat is guided, and an anchor member
fixed on an upper portion of said reinforcement member with guide
portion located underneath said anchor member for releasable
engagement with said connector portion of said child seat.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vehicle seat construction which
facilitates fastening of a child seat onto a vehicle seat main body
provided with a seat cushion and a seatback.
b) Description of the Related Art
When driving with a child, it has been a conventional practice from
the viewpoint of safety to fix a child seat on a vehicle seat and
to keep him or her sitting there. As a method for fixing the child
seat on the vehicle seat, it is possible to use, for example, a
seatbelt which is arranged with the vehicle seat. With this method,
however, the installation work of a child seat is irksome and
time-consuming.
To permit easy and quick installation of a child seat, a method has
been proposed. According to this method, an anchor bar is arranged
on a frame of a vehicle seat main body, and attachment members of a
child seat are brought into engagement with the anchor bar.
Described specifically, this method features that, as is disclosed
in JP 11-198695 A, an anchor bar is arranged between rear portions
of both side frames of a seat cushion, said side frames extending
in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, and fixing attachments of
the child seat are connected to the anchor bar to fix the child
seat on the vehicle seat main body. This method allows simple
installation work for the child seat as its installation can be
completed by simply pressing and securing the fixing attachments of
the child seat on the anchor bar on the side of the seat
cushion.
However, the arrangement of the anchor bar as mentioned above, that
is, between the rear portions of both side frames of the frame of
the seat cushion, said frames extending in the longitudinal
direction of the vehicle, actually results in hiding of the anchor
bar between a rear portion of the seat cushion and a lower portion
of the seatback. This makes it difficult to determine the vertical
positions of the fixing attachments of the child seat upon its
installation, thereby preventing smooth installation of the child
seat. In the event of a collision of the vehicle, the child seat is
caused to move so that the anchor bar with which the child seat is
in engagement is also caused to under go a large displacement. It
is therefore necessary to apply beforehand substantial
reinforcement to the anchor bar and the seat cushion frame or the
like on which the anchor bar is secured.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a
vehicles eat construction, which allows reduced displacements of an
anchor bar on which a child seat is fixed and also facilitates
installation of the child seat.
To achieve the above-described object, the present invention, in
one aspect thereof, provides a vehicle seat construction comprising
a vehicle seat main body having a seat cushion and a seatback; a
reinforcement member secured on one of a frame of the vehicle seat
main body and a floor on which the vehicle seat main body is
mounted; an anchor member fixed on the reinforcement member for
releasable engagement with a connector portion of a child seat; and
a guide portion arranged in the reinforcement member such that the
connector portion of the child seat is guided to the anchor member.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided
a vehicle seat construction comprising a vehicle seat main body to
be arranged in a vehicle; a guide portion for guiding a connector
portion of a child seat to be mounted on the vehicle seat main
body; an anchor member arranged for releasable engagement with the
connector portion of the child seat guided by the guide portion;
and a reinforcement member reinforcing the anchor member at a
location thereof where the anchor member is attached. In a further
aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a vehicle
seat construction comprising a vehicle seat main body to be
arranged in a vehicle; and a guide portion for guiding a connector
portion of a child seat, said child seat being to be mounted on
said vehicle seat main body, to an anchor member reinforced at a
portion thereof where said anchor member is arranged such that said
connector portion is brought into engagement with said anchor
member. As described above, the reinforcement member is secured on
the frame of the vehicle seat main body or on the floor, and the
anchor bar is fixed on the reinforcement member. The anchor bar is
hence provided with improved rigidity, thereby making it possible
to minimize a displacement of the anchor bar in the event of a
collision of a vehicle. Further, it is no longer required to apply
beforehand substantial reinforcement to the frame or the like of
the seat cushion. In addition, the anchor bar is provided with the
guide portion which serves to guide the connector portion of the
child seat to the anchor bar, so that the attachment of the child
seat to the vehicle seat main body can be performed with extreme
ease.
The anchor member may bean anchor bar, and the guide portion may
have a guide surface arranged underneath the anchor bar. According
to this preferred embodiment, the guide surface can function as the
guide portion so that the connector of the child seat can be
readily inserted.
The reinforcement member may have a cross-section of a
substantially inverted U-shape, and the guide portion may have been
formed by bending a portion of the reinforcement member. According
to this preferred embodiment, the reinforcement member can be
easily formed.
The anchor member may be arranged in a vicinity of a rear end
portion of the seat cushion, and the seat cushion may be provided
at the rear end portion thereof with a recess into which the
connector portion can be inserted. According to this preferred
embodiment, the reinforcement member is provided with improved
rigidity and, even if a large force is exerted on the child seat in
the event of a collision of the vehicle, a displacement of the
anchor member can be minimized.
The seat cushion may be provided with a ticking which covers an
opening of the recess, and the ticking may have a slit portion to
permit insertion of the connector portion into the recess.
According to this preferred embodiment, the slit portion is closed
owing to the restoring force of the ticking after the child seat is
removed from the seat main body. The appearance of the seat cushion
is not derogated, leading to improved attraction to the eye.
The anchor member may be an anchor bar, the guide portion may have
a guide surface arranged underneath the anchor bar; and the recess
may be formed with a bottom surface thereof extending in
continuation with the guide surface. According to this preferred
embodiment, the connector portion can be smoothly inserted on and
along the bottom surface of the recess and the guide surface.
The vehicle seat construction may further comprise a resin-made
plate arranged on the bottom surface of the recess such that the
connector portion can be brought into sliding contact with the
connector portion. According to this preferred embodiment, the
resin-made plate functions as a guide upon insertion of the
connector portion, thereby facilitating the insertion of the
connector portion of the child seat.
The plate may extend onto the guide surface. According to this
preferred embodiment, the resin-made plate functions as a guide
upon insertion of the connector portion, thereby facilitating the
insertion of the connector portion of the child seat.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a vehicle seat
construction according to a first embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 2A is a plan view of a cushion frame of a seat main body of a
right-hand passenger seat shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 2B is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a guide
portion depicted in FIG. 2A;
FIG. 2C is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the guide
portion with a plate arranged there;
FIG. 2D is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the vehicle seat
construction taken in the direction of arrows IID--IID of FIG. 1
with a slit portion included therein (and also taken in direction
of arrows IID--IID of FIG. 3);
FIG. 3A is a side view of the seat main body with a child seat
fastened thereon;
FIG. 3B is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken in the direct
on of arrows IIIB--IIIB of FIG. 3A;
FIG. 4A is a side of a vehicle seat construction according to a
second embodiment of the present invention, in which a
reinforcement member is secured on a vehicle floor, with a child
seat fastened thereon;
FIG. 4B is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the
vehicle seat construction of FIG. 4A;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the
reinforcement member secured to the vehicle floor; and
FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 2A, and illustrates a modification of the
reinforcement member in which the reinforcement member is formed as
a two-piece unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 illustrates a second seat having the vehicle seat
construction according to the first embodiment of the present
invention. This second seat is equipped with seat main bodies 1
arranged side by side. Each seat main body 1 has a seat cushion 2
and a seatback 3, and the seat cushion 2 is provided at a rear
portion thereof with slit portions 4 spaced apart from each other
in a lateral direction. Through these slit portions 4, a child seat
10 is attached to or detached from the seat main body 1 as needed.
It is to be noted that, although the first embodiment of the
present invention will be described taking the second seat as an
example, the first embodiment is not limited to such second seats
and is equally applicable to front passenger seats, third seats and
the like.
As is shown in FIG. 1, the child seat 10 usable with the vehicle
seat construction of the present invention is provided with a child
seat main body 11 and connector portions 13 arranged at two
locations in a rear portion of the child seat main body 11. When
fastening of the child seat 10 onto the seat main body 1 is
desired, it is necessary to insert the connector portions 13 into
the corresponding slit portions 4 of the seat cushion 2 as
indicated by two rightward arrows in FIG. 1. As a result, the
connector portions 13 are brought into engagement with a
below-described anchor bar as an anchor member so that the child
seat 10 is fixed on the seat main body 1.
As is depicted in FIG. 2A, a frame (hereinafter called "cushion
frame") 21, which is arranged in the seat cushion 2 of the
right-hand seat of the second seat, has a structure that a frame
21B extending in the lateral direction is fixed at opposite ends
thereof to free ends of a U-shaped frame 21A which opens on a side
facing the rear of the vehicle.
On an upper portion of the frame 21B laterally extending in a rear
portion of the cushion frame 21, a reinforcement member 24 is
secured, for example, by welding. It is to be noted that a member
to which the reinforcement member 24 is secured is not limited to
the cushion frame 21 and can be, for example, a laterally-extending
frame (not shown) of the seatback or a vehicle floor on which the
vehicle seat main body is to be mounted. An embodiment in which the
reinforcement member 24 is secured on the vehicle floor will be
described as the second embodiment subsequently herein. Referring
next to FIG. 2A, the reinforcement member 24 is provided at two
locations thereof with guide portions 25 so that they are apart
from each other with a predetermined distance there between. On an
upper portion of the reinforcement member 24, anchor bars 26 are
fixed, for example, by welding such that the guide portions are
located underneath the corresponding anchor bars 26.
Reference will next be had to FIG. 2B. Each of the guide portions
25 arranged in the reinforcement member 24 has a guide surface 25A
underneath the corresponding anchor bar 26 such that the
corresponding connector portion 13 of the child seat 10 can be
guided to the anchor bar 26. Each guide portion 25 can be obtained,
for example, by forming a cut through the reinforcement member
24--which is formed, for example, in a substantially inverted U
shape in cross-section--at a predetermined position and then
inwardly folding the resulting edge sections. As is clearly seen
especially from FIG. 2D and also from FIG. 3B to be described
subsequently herein, the seat cushion 2, on the other hand, has
recesses 28 at locations corresponding to the respective
combinations of the guide portions 25, the anchor bars 26 and the
slits 4. These recesses 28 permit insertion of the connector
portions of the child seat 10 to the anchor bars 26, respectively.
The bottom surface of each recess 28 is formed such that it extends
in continuation with the guide surface 25A of the corresponding
guide portion 25. As is shown in FIGS. 2C and 2D, a plate 27 to
which the corresponding connector portion 13 of the child seat 10
can be brought into sliding contact is sewn to the bottom wall of
the recess 28. Described specifically, the plate 27 is sewn to a
ticking 29A which makes up the bottom wall of the recess 28.
Incidentally, this ticking 29A is in turn sewn at opposite side
edges thereof to lower edge portions of the edge sections of the
ticking 29, said edge sections having been folded into the recess
28 to define the slit portion 4. Preferably, the plate 27 may be
made of a resin and may be arranged extending from the bottom
surface of the recess 28 to the guide surface 25A of the guide
portion 25. Incidentally, the ticking 29A extends from the bottom
surface of the recess 28 to the guide surface of the guide portion
25. Owing to the existence of such plates 27, the connector
portions 13 of the child seat 10 can be easily guided to the
corresponding guide portions 25 and anchor bars 26.
As is shown in FIG. 2C, each anchor bar 26 is required to have a
length sufficient to be firmly fixed on the upper portion of the
reinforcement member with the corresponding guide portion located
underneath the anchor bar 26.
Each slit portion 4 can be obtained, for example, as depicted in
FIG. 2D, namely, by folding the ticking 29 into the recess 28
formed in a part of the seat cushion 2. It is to assure retention
of an attractive appearance upon insertion or withdrawal of the
connector portion 13 that the slit portion is constructed by
folding the ticking 29. Below the ticking 29A at the bottom of the
recess 28, the above-mentioned plate 27 is located. The arrangement
of the ticking 29A has make it possible to similarly retain the
attractive appearance even when the bottom of the recess 28 can be
seen through the slit portion 4.
As has been described above, the guide portions 25 for guiding the
corresponding connector portions 13 of the child seat 10 to the
anchor bar 26 are arranged in this embodiment so that the fastening
of the child seat 10 onto the vehicle seat main body 1 can be
performed with extreme ease. In this embodiment, the resin-made
plates 27 may preferably be arranged on the bottoms of the recesses
28. Owing to the arrangement of the plates 27, the connector
portions 13 of the child seat 10 can be more smoothly guided on the
corresponding tickings 29A to the associated guide portions 25 and
anchor bars 26.
Further, the reinforcement member 24 is secured on the
laterally-extending frame 21B of the seat main body 1 in this
embodiment. As the relatively short anchor bars 26 are fixed on
this reinforcement member 24 by welding or the like, the vehicle
seat construction is structurally solid so that the anchor bars 26
are provided with improved rigidity.
As a consequence, displacements of the anchor bars 26 can be
minimized even if large force is applied to the child seat 10 in
the event of a collision of the vehicle.
With reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a description will next be made
about the fastening and removal of the child seat 10 to and from
the seat main body 1. To fasten the child seat 10, the connector
portions 13 arranged on the child seat main body 11 are firstly
inserted into the corresponding slit portions 4 of the seat cushion
2. When the child seat 10 is then pushed toward the seatback 3, the
connector portions 13 are caused to smoothly reach the
corresponding guide portions 25 and anchor bars 26 while being
guided by the associated plates 27. Unillustrated latch mechanisms
are then actuated so that the connector portions 13 are surely
brought into fixed engagement with the corresponding anchor bars
26.
To remove the child seat 10, on the other hand, a knob or the
like--which is operably connected via wires or the like to a member
for releasing the latch mechanisms and is arranged at a desired
location of the child seat 10--is operated to release the
above-mentioned latch mechanisms, followed by the withdrawal of the
child seat 10 toward the front of the vehicle. As a result, the
connector portions 13 are caused to separate from the corresponding
anchor bars 26 and to move along the associated guide portions 25,
plates 27 and recesses 28, so that the child seat 10 can be
smoothly removed from the seat main body 1. After the child seat 10
has been removed from the seat main body 1, the slit portions 4 are
closed up by the restoring force of the ticking 29. The appearance
of the seat cushion 2 is therefore not derogated, leading to
improved attraction to the eye.
As has been described above, the reinforcement member 24 is secured
on the laterally-extending frame 21B of the seat main body 1, and
the anchor bars 26 are secured on the reinforcement member 24. The
anchor bars 26 are therefore provided with improved rigidity so
that in the event of a collision of the vehicle, displacements of
the anchor bars 26 can be minimized. This can obviate the need for
an advance application of substantial reinforcement to the frame of
the seat cushion 2. Further, the arrangement of the guide portions
25, which serve to guide the connector portions 13 of the child
seat 10 to the corresponding anchor bars 26, makes it possible to
fasten the child seat 10 onto the vehicle seat main body 1 with
extreme ease.
With reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5, a description will next be
made about the vehicle seat construction according to the second
embodiment of the present invention in which a reinforcement member
is secured on a vehicle floor. In these drawings, elements of
structure similar to their corresponding elements in FIGS. 1 to 3B
will be designated by like reference numerals.
As is illustrated in FIG. 4A, each seat main body 1 which
constitutes, for example, a second seat is mounted on a vehicle
floor 50. Further, as is shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5, the
reinforcement member 24 is secured by welding on the vehicle floor
50 in a vicinity of a location corresponding to a rear end of a
seat cushion 2. As in the first embodiment, this reinforcement
member 24 is provided with guide portions 25 at two locations apart
from each other with a predetermined distance therebetween. On an
upper portion of the reinforcement member 24, anchor bars 26 are
fixed, for example, by-welding such that the corresponding guide
portions 25 are located underneath the anchor bars 26.
Similarly to the first embodiment described above, each of the
guide portions 25 arranged in the reinforcement member 24 has a
guide surface 25A underneath the corresponding anchor bar 26 such
that the corresponding connector portion 13 of the child seat 10
can be guided to the anchor bar 26. Each guide portion 25 can be
obtained, for example, by forming a cut through the reinforcement
member 24--which is formed, for example, in a substantially
inverted, flattened U shape in cross-section--at a predetermined
position and then inwardly folding the resulting edge sections. As
is clearly seen especially from FIGS. 4A and 4B, the seat cushion 2
has recesses 28' at locations corresponding to the respective
combinations of the guide portions 25, the anchor bars 26 and the
slits 4. These recesses 28' permit insertion of the connector
portions of the child seat 10 to the corresponding anchor bars 26
through the seat cushion 2. These recesses 28' are different from
the above-described recesses 28 in that the connector portions 13
extend through the seat cushion 2. The bottom surface of each
recess 28' is formed such that it extends in continuation with the
guide surface 25A of the corresponding guide portion 25. As is
shown in FIG. 4B, a plate 27 to which the corresponding connector
portion 13 of the child seat 10 can be brought into sliding contact
is sewn to the bottom wall of the recess 28'. The plate 27 is sewn
to a ticking which makes up the bottom wall of the recess 28'. The
plate 27 may preferably be made of a resin. This plate 27 is also
arranged extending from the bottom surface of the recess 28' to the
guide surface 25A of the guide portion 25. Owing to the arrangement
of such plates 27, the connector portions 13 of the child seat 10
can be easily guided to the corresponding guide portions 25 and
anchor bars 26.
As has been described above, the guide portions 25 for guiding the
corresponding connector portions 13 of the child seat 10 to the
anchor bar 26 are arranged in this embodiment so that the fastening
of the child seat 10 onto the vehicle seat main body 1 can be
performed with extreme ease. Owing to the arrangement of the plates
27, the connector portions 13 of the child seat 10 can be more
smoothly guided to the associated guide portions 25 and anchor bars
26.
Further, the reinforcement member 24 is secured on the vehicle
floor 50 in this embodiment. As the relatively short anchor bars 26
are fixed on this reinforcement member 24 by welding or the like,
the vehicle seat construction is structurally solid so that the
anchor bars 26 are provided with improved rigidity.
As a consequence, displacements of the anchor bars 26 can be
minimized even if large force is applied to the child seat 10 in
the event of a collision of the vehicle.
To fasten the child seat 10 in this embodiment, the connector
portions 13 arranged on the child seat main body 11 are also
inserted firstly into the corresponding slit portions 4 of the seat
cushion 2. When the child seat 10 is then pushed toward the
seatback 3, the connector portions 13 are caused to smoothly reach
the corresponding guide portions 25, which are arranged in the
reinforcement member 24 secured on the vehicle floor 50, and
further, the corresponding anchor bars 26 while being guided by the
associated plates 27 through the seat cushion 2. Unillustrated
latch mechanisms are then actuated so that the connector portions
13 are surely brought into fixed engagement with the corresponding
anchor bars 26.
To remove the child seat 10, on the other hand, the latch
mechanisms are released, followed by the withdrawal of the child
seat 10 toward the front of the vehicle, as in the first embodiment
described above. As a result, the connector portions 13 are caused
to separate from the corresponding anchor bars 26 and to move along
the associated guide portions 25, plates 27 and recesses 28', so
that the child seat 10 can be smoothly removed from the seat main
body 1. After the child seat 10 has been removed from the seat main
body 1, the slit portions 4 are closed up by the restoring force of
the ticking 29. The appearance of the seat cushion 2 is therefore
not derogated, leading to improved attraction to the eye.
As described above, the reinforcement member 24 is secured on the
vehicle floor 50, and the anchor bars 26 are secured on the
reinforcement member 24. The anchor bars 26 are therefore provided
with improved rigidity so that in the event of a collision of the
vehicle, displacements of the anchor bars 26 can be minimized. This
can obviate the need for an advance application of substantial
reinforcement to the vehicle floor 50. Further, the arrangement of
the guide portions 25, which serve to guide the connector portions
13 of the child seat 10 to the corresponding anchor bars 26, makes
it possible to fasten the child seat 10 onto the vehicle seat main
body 1 with extreme ease.
In each of the above-described embodiments, each plate 27 was
arranged extending onto a guide flange 30 (see FIG. 4B) which
constitutes the guide surface 25A of the guide portion 25. It is
however not absolutely necessary to arrange the plate 27 so. The
length of the plate 27 may be limited such that it extends only to
a point shortly forward of the guide portion 25. Each guide flange
30 has been formed by partially punching a hole in the
reinforcement member 24 and bending down the one side as a louver
(in other words, by lancing the reinforcement member 24). However,
the guide flanges 30 are not limited to the illustrated example,
and separate member provided as additional components may be
used.
In the above-described embodiments, the guide portions 25 were
formed in a pair in the single reinforcement member 24. As an
alternative, it is possible to furnish two reinforcement members,
each of which has a single guide portion formed therein, and to
secure these reinforcement members on a frame of a seat main body
or on the vehicle floor with a predetermined distance left between
the reinforcement members. A modification of the first embodiment,
in which two reinforcement members 24' are secured on a frame 21B
of a seat main body 1, is illustrated in FIG. 6. Although a drawing
of another modification in which two reinforcement members are
arranged on the vehicle floor 50 is omitted herein, these
reinforcement members can obviously be secured likewise onto a
vehicle floor.
* * * * *